JP2008033391A - Digital multifunction machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital multifunction machine that can implement user authentication based on biological information or IC card information without the addition of new functions to an authentication server. <P>SOLUTION: If the same biological information 5 as biological information 5 read by a biological information reading part 13 has been stored in an authentication table 16A, a control part 11 extracts authentication information 4 stored in association with the biological information 5. The extracted authentication information 4 is transmitted by a data transmission/reception part 17 to a data transmission/reception part 31. An authentication part 33 checks whether or not the authentication information 4 received by the data transmission/reception part 31 has been stored as registered information 32A to determine whether or not to approve authentication. The control part 11 recognizes whether or not user authentication is successful according as the data transmission/reception part 17 receives authentication approval or disapproval information from the authentication server 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital multi-function peripheral that performs user authentication based on biometric information or IC card information.

  In order to prevent non-use of devices connected to each other in an office or school, user authentication is performed when a user uses the device. Many devices are connected to networks such as offices and schools, and there are a wide variety of connected models. Many users use these devices. Therefore, a method of centrally managing information related to user authentication by using an authentication server connected to a network for user authentication in each device is used.

  For user authentication, a user ID and password are used, and a user's biometric information and an IC card possessed by the user are used. At this time, in order to determine whether the IC card is used by the true owner of the IC card, a method of performing user authentication using biometric information together with the IC card is known (Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-348478 A

  However, according to Patent Document 1, the authentication server has to be provided with an application for performing authentication based on the IC card and biometric information. That is, the authentication server needs to newly manage IC card information and biometric information in addition to IDs and passwords that have been managed conventionally. Such a change or update of the existing system places an extra work burden on the system administrator.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, in view of the above problems, the present invention has an object to provide a digital multi-function peripheral capable of performing user authentication based on biometric information or IC card information without newly adding a function to an authentication server. .

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention described in claim 1 is a digital multi-function peripheral connected to an authentication server for authenticating a user via a network, the control unit controlling the entire digital multi-function peripheral, and the user A biometric information reading unit that reads biometric information of a user used for authentication, a data transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives authentication information to / from the authentication server, and a storage unit that stores the authentication information and the biometric information in association with each other. When the biometric information reading unit reads the biometric information, the control unit extracts the authentication information stored in the storage unit in association with the biometric information, and the data transmitting / receiving unit extracts the authentication information. User authentication is performed by transmitting to an authentication server.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital multi-function peripheral connected to an authentication server for authenticating a user via a network, a control unit for controlling the entire digital multi-function peripheral, and an IC card used for user authentication. A card information reading unit that reads IC card information to be stored; a data transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives authentication information to / from the authentication server; and a storage unit that stores the authentication information and the IC card information in association with each other. When the information reading unit reads the IC card information, the control unit extracts the authentication information stored in the storage unit in association with the IC card information, and the data transmitting / receiving unit extracts the authentication information. User authentication is performed by transmitting to an authentication server.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the digital multi-function peripheral according to the first aspect, the digital multi-function peripheral further includes an input unit to which the authentication information is input, and the storage unit reads the biometric information. When the biometric information read by the unit is not stored, the control unit stores the biometric information and the authentication information in association with each other by inputting the authentication information to the input unit. It is characterized by making it.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the digital multi-function peripheral according to the second aspect, the digital multi-function peripheral further includes an input unit for inputting the authentication information, and the storage unit reads the card information. When the IC card information read is not stored in the storage unit, the control unit associates the IC card information with the authentication information when the authentication information is input to the input unit. It is memorized in.

  The digital multifunction peripheral of the present invention can perform user authentication using biometric information or IC card information while using a conventional authentication server as it is. Further, according to this digital multi-function peripheral, since it is not necessary to add a new function to the authentication server, user authentication is performed using biometric information or IC card information at low cost without bothering the administrator of the authentication server. be able to.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital multifunction device 1 is connected via a network 2 to an authentication server 3 that performs authentication for the user to use the digital multifunction device 1.

  The digital multifunction device 1 includes a control unit 11, an input unit 12, a biometric information reading unit 13, a card information reading unit 14, a display unit 15, a storage unit 16, a data transmission / reception unit 17, and a printing unit 18. Is provided. The control unit 11 controls the entire digital multi-function peripheral 1, and authentication information 4 including a user ID and a password is input from the user to the input unit 12. Here, the authentication information 4 input to the input unit 12 may be an employee number or an affiliation code in addition to the user ID and password. The biometric information reading unit 13 reads biometric information 5 such as a fingerprint, an iris, or a vein for specifying a user.

  The card information reading unit 14 reads the IC card information 7 stored in the IC card 6. Here, the IC card 6 is a contact type IC card that reads the IC card information 7 by contacting the card information reading unit 14, and a non-contact type that can read the IC card information 7 without contacting the card information reading unit 14. It is an IC card or a dual interface card having both contact type and non-contact type functions. Note that the card information reading unit 14 may include rewriting means for rewriting the IC card information 7.

  The display unit 15 is a liquid crystal display that displays various types of information. The storage unit 16 holds an authentication table 16A that stores at least one of the biological information 5 and the IC card information 7 and the authentication information 4 in association with each other. In this embodiment, the authentication table 16A stores the biometric information 5, the IC card information 7, and the authentication information 4 in association with each other.

  The data transmission / reception unit 17 transmits / receives data to / from the authentication server 3. Here, the data transmitted from the data transmitting / receiving unit 17 to the authentication server 3 is the authentication information 4. The data received by the data transmitting / receiving unit 17 from the authentication server 3 is authentication permission information indicating that authentication is permitted or authentication non-permission information indicating that authentication is not permitted. The printing unit 18 prints print data such as document data created by word processing software or graphic data created by graphic drawing software. The digital multi-function peripheral 1 includes a FAX function, a scanner function, a copy function, and the like in addition to the printing unit 18, but these functional units are not shown.

  The authentication server 3 includes a data transmission / reception unit 31, an authentication information storage unit 32, and an authentication unit 33. The data transmission / reception unit 31 transmits / receives data to / from the digital multi-function peripheral 1. The authentication information storage unit 32 stores, as registration information 32A, the user ID and password of a user who is permitted to use the digital multifunction device 1. The authentication unit 33 performs user authentication based on the authentication information 4 received by the data transmitting / receiving unit 31 and the registration information 32A.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the biometric information 5, the authentication table 16A, and the registration information 32A. 2A shows the biometric information 5 read by the biometric information reading unit 13, FIG. 2B shows the authentication table 16A stored in the storage unit 16, and FIG. 2C shows the authentication information storage. The registration information 32A which the part 32 memorize | stores is shown. In FIG. 2A, the biometric information 5 read by the biometric information reading unit 13 is a fingerprint, and the fingerprint read by the biometric information reading unit 13 during user authentication is referred to as fingerprint information 5A.

  In FIG. 2B, the authentication table 16A includes a “biometric information” field, an “IC card information” field, and an “authentication information” field. Furthermore, the “authentication information” field includes a “user ID” field and a “password” field. Here, the biometric information 5, the IC card information 7, and the authentication information 4 stored in association with the authentication table 16A are referred to as user authentication information 16A-1, user authentication information 16A-2, and user authentication information 16A-3, respectively.

  In FIG. 2C, the registration information 32A stores a user ID and a password associated with each user. Here, the user ID and password stored in association with the registration information 32A are referred to as registration information 32A-1, registration information 32A-2, and registration information 32A-3, respectively.

  The digital multi-function peripheral 1 performs user authentication based on the fingerprint information 5A, the authentication table 16A, and the registration information 32A read by the biometric information reading unit 13 during user authentication. Next, an authentication process performed by the digital multi-function peripheral 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing authentication processing by the digital multi-function peripheral 1. Here, it is assumed that a fingerprint is used as the biometric information 5. Further, it is assumed that the fingerprint information 5A, the authentication table 16A, and the registration information 32A read by the biometric information reading unit 13 at the time of user authentication are in the state shown in FIG.

  The digital multi-function peripheral 1 performs user authentication when the user uses the digital multi-function peripheral 1 in order to prevent unauthorized use. The biometric information reading unit 13 reads the fingerprint read by the biometric information reading unit 13 by the user for user authentication as fingerprint information 5A (S101). When the user uses the IC card 6 for user authentication, the user reads the IC card information 7 by bringing the IC card 6 into contact with or holding the card information reading unit 14.

  The control unit 11 checks whether the authentication table 16A held by the storage unit 16 stores the same biometric information 5 as the fingerprint information 5A in the “biometric information” field (S102). When the authentication table 16A stores the same biological information 5 as the fingerprint information 5A in the “biological information” field (Yes in S102), the control unit 11 reads the same biological information 5 as the fingerprint information 5A from the authentication table 16A. The authentication information 4 stored in association with is acquired (S103). Referring to FIG. 2, authentication table 16A stores biometric information 5 identical to fingerprint information 5A in the “biometric information” field of user authentication information 16A-1. Therefore, the control unit 11 extracts the user ID “A001” and the password “1111” from the “authentication information” field of the user authentication information 16A-1.

  When the authentication information 4 is extracted, the control unit 11 controls the data transmission / reception unit 17 to transmit the extracted authentication information 4 to the data transmission / reception unit 31. Thereby, the control part 11 inquires of the authentication server 3 for authentication (S104). That is, the data transmission / reception unit 17 transmits the user ID “A001” and the password “1111” as the authentication information 4 to the data transmission / reception unit 31.

  The authentication unit 33 determines whether the authentication is permitted by checking whether the registration information 32A stores the authentication information 4 received by the data transmitting / receiving unit 31. Referring to FIG. 2, authentication unit 33 checks whether registration information 32A stores user ID “A001” and password “1111”. Here, the registration information 32A-1 stored in the registration information 32A has a user ID “A001” and a password “1111”. Therefore, the authentication unit 33 determines that the authentication is permitted because the registration information 32A stores the authentication information 4 received by the data transmission / reception unit 31.

  When the authentication unit 33 determines that authentication is permitted, the data transmission / reception unit 31 transmits authentication permission information to the data transmission / reception unit 17. The control unit 11 recognizes that the authentication has succeeded when the data transmitting / receiving unit 14 receives the authentication permission information from the authentication server 3 (Yes in S105). At this time, since the user authentication is permitted, the digital multi-function peripheral 1 ends the authentication process, and subsequently performs a printing process, a FAX transmission process, and the like.

  In step S <b> 104, when the authentication information 4 received by the data transmitting / receiving unit 31 is not registered in the registration information 32 </ b> A, the data transmitting / receiving unit 17 receives authentication non-permission information from the data transmitting / receiving unit 31. The control unit 11 recognizes that the authentication has failed because the data transmitting / receiving unit 14 has received the authentication non-permission information from the authentication server 3 (No in S105). In order to use the digital multifunction device 1, the user again causes the biometric information reading unit 13 to read the fingerprint as fingerprint information 5A, and the biometric information reading unit 13 reads the fingerprint information 5A (S101). At this time, the display unit 16 may display a message indicating that the authentication is not permitted.

  In step S102, when the authentication table 16A does not store the same biometric information 5 as the fingerprint information 5A in the “biometric information” field (No in S102), the control unit 11 sets the fingerprint information 5A to the new biometric information 5. Then, a registration process to be stored in the authentication table 16A is executed (S106).

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a registration process for storing the fingerprint information 5A as the biometric information 5 in the authentication table 16A. In step S102 of FIG. 3, when the authentication table 16A does not store the same biometric information 5 as the fingerprint information 5A in the “biometric information” field, the display unit 15 displays a message prompting the user ID and password to be input. To do. Further, the input unit 12 enters a state where a user ID and a password are input from the user (S201). At this time, the display unit 15 may display a message indicating that the authentication table 16A does not store the same biological information 5 as the fingerprint information 5A.

  When the authentication table 16A does not store the same biometric information 5 as the fingerprint information 5A, the fingerprint information 5A is registered as the biometric information 5 in the authentication table 16A. Input (S202). When the user ID and password are input to the input unit 12, the control unit 11 stores the fingerprint information 5A as biometric information 5 in the authentication table 16A in association with the input user ID and password (S203).

  The control unit 11 is configured to store the fingerprint information 5A as the biometric information 5 in the authentication table 16A even when a user ID and password not stored in the authentication table 16A or the registration information 32A are input. Also good. As a result, any user can register the fingerprint information 5 </ b> A as the biometric information 5 in the digital multifunction peripheral 1. At this time, even if the user registers the fingerprint information 5A as the biometric information 5, if the user ID and password stored in association with the registered biometric information 5 are not stored in the registration information 32A, the authentication unit 33 does not permit authentication.

  The control unit 11 is configured to store the fingerprint information 5A as the biometric information 5 in the authentication table 16A only when the input user ID and password are stored in the authentication table 16A or the registration information 32A. It doesn't matter. As a result, the storage unit 16 does not need to newly store the fingerprint information 5A, which is unlikely to be used for user authentication, as the biometric information 5, and thus the digital multi-function peripheral 1 can reduce the storage capacity. It becomes. When the authentication table 16A newly stores the fingerprint information 5A as the biometric information 5, the digital multifunction peripheral 1 ends the registration process.

  As described above, the digital multifunction device 1 includes the storage unit 16 that stores the biometric information 5, the IC card information 7, and the authentication information 4 in association with each other, whereby the existing authentication server 3 and the biometric information 5 or the IC card information 7 are stored. It becomes possible to perform user authentication based on the above. Thereby, the user can use the digital multifunction device 1 by using the biometric information 5 or the IC card 6 even if the user ID and password for using the digital multifunction device 1 are not always remembered. Become. Further, since the existing authentication server 3 can be used as it is without adding a new function to the authentication server 3, a digital multi-function peripheral that performs user authentication based on the biometric information 5 or the IC card information 7 at low cost. 1 can be provided.

  Here, the case where the biometric information 5 is used and the user's fingerprint is used has been described. However, the digital multi-function peripheral 1 may be configured to use an iris or a vein as the biometric information 5. Moreover, the structure which utilizes a fingerprint, an iris, and a vein simultaneously as the biometric information 5 for user authentication may be sufficient. Further, the IC card 7 may be used instead of the biological information 5, or the biological information 5 and the IC card 7 may be used at the same time.

1 is a block diagram of a digital multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the biometric information 5, the authentication table 16A, and the registration information 32A. 4 is a flowchart showing authentication processing by the digital multi-function peripheral 1. It is a flowchart which shows the registration process which memorize | stores the fingerprint information 5A in the authentication table 16A as the biometric information 5. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Digital multifunction device 11 Control part 12 Input part 13 Biometric information reading part 14 Card information reading part 16 Storage part 17 Data transmission / reception part 2 Network 3 Authentication server

Claims (4)

A digital multi-function peripheral connected to an authentication server for authenticating a user via a network,
A control unit for controlling the entire digital multi-function peripheral;
A biometric information reading unit that reads the biometric information of the user used for user authentication;
A data transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving authentication information to / from the authentication server;
A storage unit that stores the authentication information and the biological information in association with each other;
With
When the biometric information reading unit reads the biometric information, the control unit extracts the authentication information stored in the storage unit in association with the biometric information, and the data transmitting / receiving unit extracts the authentication information. A digital multi-function peripheral that performs user authentication by transmitting to an authentication server. A digital multi-function peripheral connected to an authentication server for authenticating a user via a network,
A control unit for controlling the entire digital multi-function peripheral;
A card information reading unit that reads IC card information stored in an IC card used for user authentication;
A data transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving authentication information to / from the authentication server;
A storage unit for storing the authentication information and the IC card information in association with each other;
With
When the card information reading unit reads the IC card information, the control unit extracts the authentication information stored in the storage unit in association with the IC card information, and the data transmission / reception unit receives the authentication information. A digital multi-function peripheral that performs user authentication by transmitting a message to the authentication server. The digital multi-function peripheral according to claim 1,
The digital multi-function peripheral further includes:
An input unit for inputting the authentication information;
With
When the storage unit does not store the biological information read by the biological information reading unit,
The control unit causes the storage unit to store the biometric information and the authentication information in association with each other when the authentication information is input to the input unit. The digital multi-function peripheral according to claim 2,
The digital multi-function peripheral further includes:
An input unit for inputting the authentication information;
With
When the storage unit does not store the IC card information read by the card information reading unit,
The control unit causes the storage unit to store the IC card information and the authentication information in association with each other when the authentication information is input to the input unit.

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